African Music
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
One term is not really suitable to describe the diversity of music which exists on the continenet of Africa. I must first make it clear that in this entry I am not talking about tribal/folk music. This is aobut popular music which by and large has grawn out of the local musical styles being influenced by rock, blues,reggae and jazz ( the music of the continent of Africa exported by the slave trade and grwning up across the Atlantic Ocean) and turning into a vibrant popular music which has many contrasting styles.
The categories are (this is not a definitive list):
North African - Rai Music
West African - several sub-categories:
- Soukous - dance music originating from DRC (formerly Zaire)
- Hi-life - music from Nigeria
- Kora music
(more to follow)
East African
- Generally known as Rhumba but the music of Kenya and of Tanzania have their own distinctive styles.
South African
- The music of Zimbabwe - Jit music
- Township Jive - which grew in the apartheid ghettos of the last century
- Afro-jazz - not limited to SOuth Africa but South Africa has been the home to several of the continents greatest jazz musicians.
The categories are (this is not a definitive list):
North African - Rai Music
West African - several sub-categories:
- Soukous - dance music originating from DRC (formerly Zaire)
- Hi-life - music from Nigeria
- Kora music
(more to follow)
East African
- Generally known as Rhumba but the music of Kenya and of Tanzania have their own distinctive styles.
South African
- The music of Zimbabwe - Jit music
- Township Jive - which grew in the apartheid ghettos of the last century
- Afro-jazz - not limited to SOuth Africa but South Africa has been the home to several of the continents greatest jazz musicians.
